Activated carbon and peat...

[arjay]

I have read that peat should not be used in a filter with activated carbon because the carbon will nullify some of the peat's properties. Does this mean that the carbon will also lessen peat's ability to reduce pH and soften water?
Thanks in advance,
Russell.

 

[fishgeek]

i believe that the carbon removes some of the organic acid's and products that peat release's into the water
hence the black water extract type effect of peat is reduced

peat also acts as an ion exchnage resin though so it will to some small degree lessen the kH of your water and facilitate a slihtly lower pH in this fashion

i have never used carbon in any filter in my 5 yrs of fish keeping except for waht came in my first filter purchase
i dont personally believe it has any real use
increased water changes will remove all the things that carbon does and has the added benefit of never leaking those things back into the tank water

andrew

 

[arjay]

Thanks Andrew.
I never used carbon in any of my tanks either in 10 years of fish keeping until a friend recently convinced me that I should... Never had a problem before so I'm no longer seeing the point of using it either.
Do you know of any other functions peat performs other than pH and GH reduction?
~Russell.

 

[tleehm]

Think the fish will feel more comfortable/safer in the peat (brown) water.

Thomas.